A Simple Kind of Life

MATTHEW and his wife NATALIA, and their daughter GWEN have moved to Burlington, Vermont as they both try to pursue a new life and job. They enroll Gwen into elementary school at Douglas Elementary where Matthew meets PRINCIPAL JUSTIN BARKER. Matthew believes he may be the former lead singer of his favorite band as a teenager: Y+D, alongside guitar player DEAN, ALAN on the bass and STAN on the drums.

At first, Justin denies this but then comes around and tells Matthew that the band split up due to tensions between the members, and after Stan had been killed in action in Iraq. Matthew proposes to Justin to start their own band to fulfill his teenage dream of playing with Justin. After hesitating, Justin agrees and teaches Matthew music. They slowly begin to find local success and Matthew considers doing a Y+D reunion to mend their frayed bonds.

ALAN refuses and Dean accepts, must to Justin’s chagrin but they quickly settle their differences. Soon, they find themselves playing shows together and they’re joined by a local young band called THE COMPLETE STORIES, comprised of Kevin, Amanda and Nelly. Playing shows together takes them to greater success and Matthew offers to put on a show at his house, making Natalia doubt about it but she accepts. However, Kevin oversells the tickets and promises beer resulting in the show overcrowding Matthew’s house and making a mess of it. Natalia returns home furious and calls the cops on the patrons and becomes furious at Matthew.

With the incident going viral, the School Board attempts to fire Justin but he quits first. Matthew tries to get him and the rest of the band to apologize but do so begrudgingly. Alan accepts to meet with Matthew and tells him to stay away from Justin, the reason why the band fell apart was because of his lies and manipulation. Upon knowing this, Matthew sets out to prove that Justin has changed for the better. Justin invites him to a meeting but it turns out to be just a small party. Amanda kisses him under Justin’s orders, having told her that his marriage to Natalia was an unhappy one. He turns her down but not before Justin snaps a picture and sends it to Natalia. Matthew quits the band and arrives home to apologize to Natalia, telling her that nothing happened. She believes him.

Time goes by and Natalia introduces Matthew to her music. Surprised about it, they decide to form a musical duo and teach music to people. Meanwhile, Justin, Alan and The Complete Stories have merged together to form a band called STREETGANG 77. But Justin is unhappy, missing Matthew. He calls him to apologize and Matthew accepts, flying down to Austin on Justin’s dime to see a show of theirs. Once there, he realizes that Justin shows no signs of becoming better and leaves him, returning to Natalia and Gwen, and moving forward on the career and family they’re building together.